Envelope separator



June 17, 1969 c. o. SUTTON ENVELOPE SEPARATOR Sheet Filed July 26, 1967 INVENTOR.

c. o. SUTTON 3,450,307

ENVELOPE SEPARATOR I June 17, 1969 Sheet 2 of 5 Filed July 26, 1967 0mm 0. surro/v MM FIG- .5.

Arroms s June 17, 1969 0 SUTTON 3,450,307

ENVELOPE SEPARATOR Filed July 26, 1967 Sheet 3 0f 3 [ab 5/ INVENTOR. 23 6mm 0. 5mm

FIEr- -7- W ATTOENE Y5 United States Patent O 3,450,307 ENVELOPE SEPARATOR Charles 0. Sutton, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to The American Binder Company, a corporation of California Filed July 26, 1967, Ser. No. 656,271 Int. Cl. B65h 29/22 US. Cl. 221-74 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention.-Device for separating envelopes which are attached to a web.

Description of the prior art.Heretofore devices for separating envelopes from a web of paper have propelled the envelopes in the direction of the detached ends of the envelope. A plow or some similar means then raises the envelope from the web whereupon it is disengaged. The disadvantage of this is that it is diflicult to convey the envelopes with the loose end forward at a high rate of speed. Further, the envelopes normally go through a computer with the flaps leading so that in prior art devices the direction must be reversed, so that it is impossible to have a continuous operation. By propelling the envelope with the attached end leading the device of the present invention can operate at a much higher rate of speed and in the same direction as a computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A detaching device for envelopes wherein the envelopes are carried on a Web of paper or similar material with the attached ends of the envelopes leading. A belt lying adjacent to the path of movement of the envelopes engages the trailing ends and moves them at a high rate of speed into the nip of a roller. As the roller engages the envelopes, they are jerked off of the web and stacked.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the system by which the envelopes are removed from the web but omitting the actual mechanism.

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view showing the mechanism for detaching the envelopes.

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are semi-diagrammatic views showing the steps by which the end of the envelope is engaged and the envelope is eventually detached from the web.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a device embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a section on the line 77 of FIGURE 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In many high speed addressing and computer operations, it is desirable to have envelopes attached to a web so that they can be pulled through some form of machine. A typical structure is shown in US. Patent 2,824,686. A common method of doing this is to provide a web 9 of paper having perforations 11 which can be pulled through a computer or similar machine at a high rate of speed. The envelopes themselves have a body 13 and a fla 14, the flap being perforated as at 15 and the extreme end 17 of the flap being attached to the web 9 by a suitable adhesive. It will be understood that the address side of the envelope is out so that the envelopes can be addressed while they are still on the web if this is desired. The envelopes can then be pulled off of the web in some manner leaving the small piece of paper 17A still attached to the web but leaving the envelope and flap intact as is shown at 13A and 14A.

The device of the present invention is mounted on a frame 19 which in turn is mounted on a platform 21 which may be provided with rollers 23. Platform 21 serves to hold the web containing the envelopes as well as the discharged waste web after the envelopes are detached. Mounted on the general framework of the machine are a first roller 25 and a second roller 27 over which the Web 9 is trained so that the general path of movement is from the platform 21 over roller 25, then horizontally to roller 27 and vertically back to the platform 21. A tractor mechanism 29 driven by means described later is used to propel the web. These tractor mechanisms are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail. Mounted above and to one side of the roller 25 is a shaft 31 which is provided with a large gear 33 which engages a relatively small gear 35 mounted on shaft 37. Mounted below shaft 37 and adjacent to the moving web is an idler shaft 39. Trained between shafts 37 and 39 are two belts 41 and 43. These may be made of any suitable resilient material such as rubber and are preferably provided with projecting fingers 45. Shaft 31 is provided with resilient rollers 47 and 49 which bear lightly against belts 41 and 43 as is best shown in FIG- URE 2.

A suitable motor '51 is employed to drive shaft 31 which in turn drives the tractor unit 29 through belt 53 and shaft 37 through gears 33 and 35. An idler shaft 55 is provided with rollers 57 which serves to hold the advancing web 9 level and aids in the detaching operation. This shaft may be omitted since it is not essential to the operation. The arrangement of the drive and gearing is such that the tractor unit 29 and thus the web 9 is driven at a considerably slower speed (suitably A) than are the belts 41 and 43. Although the shaft 37 is thus driven at a higher rate of speed than shaft 31, the nip formed between the belts 41 and 43 and the rollers 47 and 49, respectively, moves at the same surface speed since the diameter of the rollers and the diameter of the shaft 37 is in direct proportion to the ratio of the gears 35 and 33.

The mode of operation of the device can best be seen in the sequence of operations illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. In FIGURE 3, the web 9 is moving upwardly while the envelope 13B has its flap end bent over roller 25. This bending movement naturally causes the trailing edge of the envelope to move outwardly away from the Web 9 and into contact with the belts 41 and 43. In FIG- URE 4 the parts are shown in a somewhat advanced condition and here one of the fingers 45 has engaged the end of the envelope, here designated 13C propelling it upwardly at a higher rate of speed than the web 9 is advancing. In FIGURE 5 the parts are in a still more advanced position and here the envelope designated 13D has become engaged in the nip formed between the end of belt 43 and roller 49 and simultaneously that portion of the envelope 17 which is retained on the web has also been engaged by the roller 57. This causes the envelope to become disengaged along the perforated line 15, be propelled through the nip and then deposited on the stack 59.

Many modifications can be made in the exact structure shown without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

I claim:

1. A machine for detaching envelopes from a web to which the envelopes are detachably mounted by means of an extension on the envelope flap, the bodies of the envelopes lying alongside but unattached to the web, comprising in combination:

(a) means for moving said web in a path with the envelope flaps leading,

(b) belt means adjacent said path,

(0) said belt means being inclined towards said web with a relatively small separation between said belt and said web at the start of its travel adjacent the web and being spaced further from the web at its trailing edge,

((1) said belt means moving in the same direction but at a speed substantially greater than the web,

(e) a nip formed between the trailing edge of said belt and a roller,

(f) whereby the trailing edges of said envelopes are engaged by said belt and propelled at a higher rate of speed than the web and into said nip, the action of said nip pulling the envelope from the web.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the belt moves at a speed of about 4 times that of the web.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the path of travel of the web is abruptly changed and directed away from the nip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

